The great daddy search
by star gazing girl
Summary: Sequel to The Life within. It's been 3 years since Ivy was born...but she wants a father. What will Cornelia do? WillxCaleb, Corneliax? On Hold, see profile for details!
1. Chapter 1

**The Great Daddy Search**

_**Hello again! Wow, it's been forever since I updated, huh? Anyway, this story is a sequel to The Life within. It's set 3 years later after the last chapter, and shows what happens as the children grow older. **_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own WITCH or any characters therein. **_

_**Rating: T.**_

Chapter 1: Life without a daddy

Cornelia straightened her shirt, flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and smiled confidently at her reflection. _It will be a sheer miracle if I don't get this job. _She thought happily. She turned to tell her 3 year old daughter it was time to leave...and found herself staring at an empty chair, diaper bag and bedraggled teddy bear.

"Ivy!" She called. No answer. "Ivy, you come here now! Mommy doesn't have time to play!"

A small, blonde head popped out from behind the sofa. "Why not?" Ivy inquired. "Can't mommy go work other time?"

"No, honey." Cornelia lifted the disappointed 3 year old and grabbed the diaper bag. "Mommy has to do this now. But you get to see Ian! Won't that be fun?"

"No." Ivy buried her face in Cornelia's collarbone as her mother carried her down the stairs and to a small, cheap chair.

Cornelia found herself staring into Ivy's green eyes, downcast with disappointment. It was the only thing that Ivy had gotten from her father, Caleb; everything else was a trait of Cornelia, from her long blonde hair to her winning grin.

Quietly, complatively, Cornelia drove down the street to a quiet neighborhood. Children played in small yards, flowers bloomed in quiant gardens. She parked in front of a white and green house, climbed out, and picked up Ivy.

Will opened the door. "Cornelia! I was wondering when you'd get here." She took the child from her mother. "Ian is waiting for you in the living room." She added. Her disappointment forgotten, Ivy smiled and raced down the hall to the living room to find her half brother.

"Can we talk for a moment?" Cornelia whispered.

Will shrugged. "Sure." She agreed. Quickly she lead Cornelia to the kitchen and poured two hot mugs of coffee before speaking again. "What's wrong?"

"Well, Ivy's been asking me a lot of questions about families. Yesterday night she asked me why she and Ian had different mommies, and today she asked me why she doesn't have a daddy." Cornelia whispered.

"But she does have a daddy. Caleb and you made sure she knew that he was her daddy and he loved her very much." Will objected.

Cornelia shook her head. "She means a daddy that lives with us. It's got to be hard on her. All of her friends have a mommy and daddy, and she doesn't."

"It's been 3 years. Maybe it's time you found her one." Will commented as she walked to the living room. "Either way, it's time for a change."


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello, to all my readers! Okay, due to a recent review, I must say this: This story in no way indicates that I approve or disapprove teen pregnancy. It's just a figment of my imagination; and if you want more details on my beliefs, please just read my profile! To the rest of my reviewers, you guys rock:D Okay, read, enjoy and no flames!_

Chapter 2: So few.

Cornelia chewed on the end of her pencil, a habit she had kept from her childhood, and thought. _This is getting depressing! _She thought grimly. _Surely there are more men than this that I like! I'm 19--why aren't I attracted to anyone? _

But the list of names she had written remained small, consisting of 3 ex-boyfriends, who, by this point, had no doubt moved on. The young mother checked her wristwatch, yawned, and walked into the living room where she had left her daughter watching a cartoon.

"Okay, Ivy, time for bed." Cornelia said sternly. She reached down and toyed with a wet strand of Ivy's hair, so like her own.

"Aw, Mommy..." The toddler protested as her mother bent over to pick her up. "Can I stay up for just a little longer?"

"Nope. You know the rules." Her mother said gently. "But if we hurry, I'll have enough time to read a fairy tale to you." That seemed to be exactly what Ivy wanted to hear, for the little girl jumped up and scampered down the hallway to her room, pulling open drawers and finding her favorite nightgown.

"Mommy! Help me brush my teeth!" Ivy shouted after a minute or so.

"Coming, love!" Cornelia called back. She walked in and put a tiny dollop of paste on the brush, watching as Ivy scrubbed her teeth with a vigorous, adorable furiousity. "Wash your face, too, Ivy." Cornelia said suddenly. She found a rag and wet it, then helped her daughter wipe her face clean of the dust she had inexplainably gathered between her bathtime and bedtime.

"What story?" Ivy asked drowsily. "Cinderella?" She made a small figure in her massive 4 poster bed, and an even smaller, more pathetic picture in her room, which was decently large.

"Okay." Cornelia agreed. She didn't need to read from the book, which she had already rememorized, but she picked it up anyway and let Ivy view the pictures. "Once upon a time, in a faraway land..." She began quietly. _There lived a single mother and the light of her life. _Cornelia thought ruefully. She finished the story all too soon, and realized that Ivy was still staring up at her. "What is it, princess?"

"Mommy...why does daddy live with Aunt Will and Ian?" Ivy whispered.

Cornelia took a deep breath. _The question I've been dreading. _She thought. Her pre-prepared story about how Aunt Will needed Caleb more than they did faded on her lips. And Cornelia sighed and smiled right at her little girl. "Well, honey. Daddy and Mommy didn't get along very well until they learned that you were coming, and by then Daddy had already married Aunt Will and Ian was on his way." Cornelia whispered, not sure if Ivy would understand the story.

"But doesn't Daddy love me?" Ivy asked innocently. "Doesn't he want to be my daddy?"

"Of course he does, baby. That's why you spend every weekend with him. He still loves you more than anything else. He just can't live with mommy because he married Aunt Will." Cornelia prayed that this explaination would suffice for Ivy.

"Oh." Ivy frowned up at the ceiling before she looked at Cornelia again. "Why can't I get a daddy to live with us?"

"I'm looking, baby." Cornelia kissed her on the cheek. "Now go to sleep."

The 19 year old walked down the hall and dialed Will's number. "Will?" She asked.

"Yes?" Will said, her smile audible in her voice. "What's wrong, Cornelia?"

"I need help." Cornelia said awkwardly. "Ivy really wants a daddy...and I really don't know of any guys who would be willing to be her daddy."

"What's wrong with Caleb?" Will asked. In the background water sloshed, and she added sharply, "Ian, quit that. You're getting water all over the floor!"

"Ivy wants a daddy to live with us!" Cornelia explained. "And unless Caleb's willing to divide his time between your house and mine, we have a major issue on our hands!"

"Well, you're pretty." Will said pointedly. "Why don't you just find a boyfriend? A bunch of guys from our high school still go to the community college."

"I can't. They made it very clear in high school that they're not ready to be a father to another guy's baby." Cornelia closed her eyes, recalling the torment she had put up with during the last year and a half of school while she struggled to graduate, the dateless proms, the times she was alone right when she needed help. "And I don't want them to be a part of my baby's life now." She finished, opening her eyes. "Can't you help me?"

Will's voice was thoughtful. "Cornelia, I think I know just the man."

_Okay! What do you guys think? Who is the guy Will knows? What's going to happen with Ivy's demand for a father...and will Caleb take offense?_

_Review please! The more detailed reviews, the better! But no flames! _


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Failure

Cornelia flipped her hair over her shoulder and tried to feel more mature about her date. "You've had lots of dates." She whispered aloud. "This date is no different from other dates, except you're going to your own house afterwards and the guy may hate kids. Okay." She gave up on fixing her hair in an upsweep and put on her shoes. "Ivy? You ready to go?" She called.

The 3 year old appeared in a green shirt and brown skirt. "Yes." She lisped reluctantly. "I ready."

Cornelia hurried to buckle the toddler into a seat and then drove hastily to Caleb and Will's house. They had, luckily, agreed to watch Ivy that night, but Cornelia wanted to see if Caleb knew who her date was, and if he did, if the guy was actually kind and considerate.

Cornelia banged on the door, but didn't get a response. No laughter from the back yard indicated the small family was outside, but no one answered her knock either. Finally she found a key that Will had given her and unlocked the door.

Inside, the house was cool and quiet. All the window shades had been drawn; the curtains were all closed.

Cornelia picked up Ivy and carried her through the small house until she came into Ian's room. His bed was crowded with himself and his parents. Will lay curled around her son, face peaceful in slumber, and Ian himself was cuddled closely to her belly. Caleb lay on the other side of Ian, but his arms were around his family. A storybook lay beside the bed on the floor. Cornelia reluctantly smiled. _They act more like a family than Ivy and I do. _She thought. Then she gently touched Will's shoulder.

Will opened her eyes and smiled up at Cornelia, put a finger to her lips, and sat up. As Ian stirred, she took the drowsy Ivy and laid her beside Ian.

"Sorry we didn't hear you." Will said as she lead Cornelia to the kitchen. "Ian is at the 'There's a monster under my bed' stage."

Cornelia sat down at the table. "Ivy's at that 'I don't want mommy dating' stage." She replied quietly. "Really, you have no idea how hard it can be with her some days!"

"You're right." Will agreed quietly. "I don't." For a moment she was quiet, but finally she blurted, "Cornelia, why don't you marry someone? Even your mother married someone! Ivy needs a father!"

"Will, I don't want to marry someone just because I'm a mother. I want to marry someone because I can't picture my life without them!" Cornelia countered. "Ivy has a father. She doesn't need a new one!" For a moment, both women were quiet. Then Cornelia stood to leave. "I have to go." She said quietly. "I'll be back around 11 or so. Ivy's bed time is 8:30 and she can't sleep unless you read Cinderella to her. If you want to, give her a bath and use the coconut soap. The book and soap are in her baby bag. She needs to have her stuffed flower on her left side and her puppy on the right side. And no matter how much she begs, don't let her sleep in her housecoat or she'll get too hot and start throwing up."

"Cornelia, I know all this." Will pointed out. "I have a baby of my own."

"Yeah, but do you or his father put him to bed?" Cornelia replied. "I just can't stand to not be in control."

"I know." Will followed Cornelia to the door. "Be careful, okay?"

"Yeah." Cornelia said absently. "Send my love to Ivy."

3 hours later...

Cornelia walked up the stairs to Will's house, but didn't knock at the door. Instead she sat down on the porch and put her head in her hands.

The date had been awful. At a glance, the man had been perfect for Cornelia: stylish, intellegent, with a good paying job. But within 3 minutes of talking, Cornelia had wanted to leave. Now she wished she had. She closed her eyes and let her mind linger on the worst parts of the date.

_"So, do you like children?" Cornelia had ventured, frantic to find some excuse to like her date._

_The man shook his head. "Not really. I'd rather not have any at all." He had said lazily. Then his eyebrows had went up. "Oh, wait. Will said you and her husband had a child when you were younger."_

_"Yes. I named her Ivy." Cornelia replied. _

_"Oh. That's...nice." The man said in the tone of voice most people reserve for discussing manure. "But if she was Caleb's daughter, why didn't you just give him custody of her from the very beginning?"_

_"Because I love her." Cornelia said, her voice growing sharp._

_"Oh." Her date had paused. "I don't believe in love. I believe in physical attachment." _

Cornelia opened her eyes and let her mind continue through the date, from his ordering food Cornelia was allergic to and then refusing to order something else, to his critical analyzing of her life, to the bill which he had made her pay. Finally, he had tried to kiss her goodnight and began to hint that he would enjoy spending the night with her. Cornelia had left him in a cloud of exhaust.

Cornelia dried her tears and tried to put on a brave face as she knocked at the door. But as Will opened the door, Cornelia said the only thing that her mind was screaming: "I will never date again."


	4. Chapter 4

_Wow, long time no update, huh? Well, with all luck I'll be able to update sooner. Read and enjoy, but no flames! _

Chapter 4: The Pages.

Cornelia frowned. "What do you mean, not able to watch Ivy?" She demanded. "Look, I've got a job, lady. I can't just leave my 3 year old daughter at home or call in sick!"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Hale, but we feel that Ivy might be a negative example to the other children as they all come from good family lives and Ivy---doesn't." The day care superviser said coldly.

"So what the heck am I supposed to do about that?" Cornelia yelled. "I thought I made it perfectly clear on the paperwork that I'm a single mother. That means that I'm not married!"

"We expected the father to play a part in your and Ivy's lives." The woman sighed. "And we didn't expect that you were completely single. It's just that...Ivy's telling the other children about her aunt Will and brother Ian and keeps going on and on about how her father married aunt Will. And it's causing conflict."

"The only conflict here is the one we're having." Cornelia countered angrily. "The only conflict here is me wondering if I should sue you or simply beat the out of you!"

"Violence won't fix any problem, Ms. Hale." The voice on the line said dryly.

"Don't you go making me sound like an idiot! Don't you go treating me like one of the toddlers!" Cornelia said sharply. "I am a grown woman, and you can't treat me like this!"

"Goodbye, Ms. Hale. We'll mail you Ivy's belongings." _Click. _The dial tone informed Cornelia that the conversation was, indeed, over.

The young mother dropped her head on her hands, breathing deeply. Then she looked up at the clock on the wall. It was already 7 a.m; her boss would have just unlocked the doors to the bookstore_ (A/N.--Before you guys ask, no it's not Cedric's bookstore. It's a figment of my imagination.) _ She had to be at work by 8; the daycare was located conviently near her workplace. But now she had to find a baby sitter.

With a low, weary sigh, Cornelia dialed the number.

"Hello, Pages' Bookstore." A deep male voice said politely.

"Hi, Mr. Page." Cornelia said softly. "How are you?"

"Cornelia? I'm fine, but...what's wrong?" There was sincere concern in her employer's voice, and a low rustling noise which indicated he had sat down on the counter to talk.

"I can't make it in today. My daycare called and said that they wouldn't take Ivy in." Cornelia replied. "Honestly, Mr. Page, if I had any idea this would have happened--"

"Don't worry about it." Mr. Page said firmly. "Listen, I think I have a solution. Just bring Ivy in with you. It would just be for today, until you find someone who can keep an eye on the kid."

"But I thought you hated kids." Cornelia objected, messing with a pen on her desk.

"Me? No, I love kids. That's why we have such a large children's book section. Just bring Ivy in with you. I'll keep her in my office with my own little girl. Then, this evening you can have as long as you need to find a new babysitter." Mr. Page insisted.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Page." Cornelia smiled. "You won't regret this."

"I know." Mr. Page agreed. "I expect to see you and Ivy at promptly 8 o'clock." He hung up, and Cornelia smiled thoughtfully as she leaned against the wall. _Mr. Page's mysterious daughter! Everyone told me he was a widower and his wife had died in childbirth, but I thought that was a lie! Well, I guess it's not. And he loves kids? Maybe I should look into some overtime. _Then she sat upright. _What the heck? Why am I thinking about Mr. Page like that? He's in his early 30's! Come on, Cornelia, snap out of it! The last time you had a crush on your employer was before you and Caleb met! You don't even know Mr. Page's first name, for crying out loud! _

She jumped up, hurried into her room, and began to get dressed in a green blouse and black skirt. Then, as she hurried into Ivy's room to wake the child and pick out her outfit, she paused. _Still. _She thought quietly. _I wonder what he's really like when he's not being my boss._

Sometime later...

"You're late, Cornelia." A man called as she hurried into the bookstore. "By exactly 2 minutes, in fact."

"Then I'll work over 2 minutes on my lunch. It's not the end of the world, Mr. Page." Cornelia turned to face the handsome man who had addressed her. Just over 6 feet tall, the man towered over Cornelia and required her to tip her head all the way back to view him.

He shook back his headful of black hair. "I hate it when people work over on their lunches. Just come 2 minutes early tomorrow." He told his employee, eyes twinkling with humor. "Or you could scrub the toilets today instead."

"You'd do anything to avoid cleaning the toilets, huh?" Cornelia smiled up at her employer. "If you want me to clean the bathrooms, you could just ask me and I would."

"In that case, you're right on time." Mr. Page's smile widened into a grin. "And this must be Ivy."

"Yes, this is Ivy." Cornelia agreed, gently brushing her daughter's hair back from her face. "Ivy, this is Mr. Page."

Ivy regarded the man with huge green eyes before she said, in a firm voice, "You're not ugly!"

"Thank you." Mr. Page chuckled. "And you are most definately not ugly, either." He smiled at Cornelia, as if wondering what she had told Ivy, and then turned as a small voice called for him. "And this is my daughter Damaris."

Cornelia smiled at the slight form. "Hello, Damaris." She said gently. "How are you?"

"Fine." The child whispered, clutching at her father's pants leg. She was small as Ivy, with her father's black hair and her mother's blue eyes, but her pale white skin and white dress gave her a ghost like appearance. The tiny hand clutched harder at the fabric as she noticed the woman's eyes on her. "And how are you?"

"Very well, thank you." Cornelia smiled up at Mr. Page.

He shrugged slightly. "Damaris is shy." He said awkwardly. "Like her mother was. Come on, I'll show you my office." He bent to pick up Damaris gently, and held her against his chest.

Cornelia followed him down a hallway, up a narrow set of stairs, and into his large office. The walls were painted tan with a green accent wall; his desk and bookcases were dark brown, but his couch and chair were green. Green drapes fluttered in front of the windows. And, scattered around the room, small toys lay in disuse.

"This is a lovely office." Cornelia said, admiring the earthtones.

"Thank you. My wife designed it for me." He said in a strained voice. He turned away, eyes slightly red.

Cornelia put down Ivy on the floor and noticed a portrait of Mr. Page and a redheaded lady. She was leaning into his side, smiling shyly, and looked happy.

"Cornelia?" Mr. Page said, and his voice was colder. She whirled to face her employer, whose eyes were cold behind his glasses. "You may go now."

Without quite knowing how she got there, Cornelia found herself on the stairs. _So much for havng a crush on him. _Cornelia thought as she walked down the stairs. Halfway down, she paused and looked back at the door, then continued down the stairs wishing she had seen his rare smile one more time.


End file.
